TIMMINS - Sylvie Bernier had a lot of fun keeping a big secret.
“Even my spouse didn’t know,” she said.
Bernier was Bonhomme this year for Centre culturel la Ronde’s annual winter carnival, and she had a blast the whole time.
“I really felt like I was in the Masked Singer,” she said. “Every time the music would play, I would just get right into it.”
While originally from Hearst, the experience brought back many fond memories.
“The carnaval is something that happens in most of the communities around here,” she said. “It brings back a lot of fun time. It just brings a lot of joy.”
Bernier said the reactions from adults and children alike were terrific.
“I don’t know if it’s just the smile on that face, but everybody was so happy to see Bonhomme,” she said. “The kids were just like, ‘Wow’!”
As a teacher, Bernier said some of her students were excited when they learned she was wearing a suit.
“At school, I did it, and after they heard about the carnaval and they saw my face, they were like, ‘It was you in that Bonhomme!” said Bernier.
Some people would whisper their guesses to her while she was in the suit and she said it was fun to know that the secret was safe.
She said she also enjoyed meeting the other Bonhomme candidates, Noemie Noémie Rodrigue and Karine Briand.
“I got to meet new people,” she said. “Noémie and Karine were amazing, and they are great ladies!”
Bernier moved to Timmins in 2008 after completing teacher’s college. Originally, she wanted to return to Hearst, but the jobs were not there.
“I feel like everyone was really welcoming because I didn’t know a lot of people when I moved here,” she said. “Your circle gets bigger and bigger.”
She said she has fond memories of La Ronde when her family would travel to Timmins when she was young.
“It was always a stop for us whenever we would come shopping,” she said.
This was the first year for the new Bonhomme suit at La Ronde and Bernier said it was great, but hot inside.
She had a little advice for those who might want to put on the suit in the future.
“Keep it a secret, like we did this year,” she said. “And just have fun!”